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TV Licence Court Summons
Comments
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Right. According to the BBC's own website you must have a licence for any equipment that is capable of receiving a television signal. It is no defence to say that the equipment was broken at the time much less to say that you kept it turned off, remember that the guys that come to the door are trained to get confessions out of people because it is the only way they have of "detecting" TV use. (Detector vans are purely for deterence, there is no way you can detect whether someone is receiving a signal, only if one is being transmitted.)
They normally come to the house and say "I gather you have a TV, can I see your licence please?" It is psychologically hard to say "No I haven't".
If he didn't actually come into the house and see the TV then he was only guessing but now that your flat mate has confirmed it (and given his name) they have proof for a prosecution.
It will be a quick in and out. The clue is in the name: "Petty Sessions" and your fine is unlikely to be huge especially when split three ways (you are all equally and severally liable). I doubt a future employer would care that you were caught without a telly in your student digs in the slightest.
Go to court (you should all go) plead guilty, offer in mitigation that your old flat mate moved out and you had gone home for the summer and that your new flat mate assumed it was covered and you'll be looking at somewhere between £150 and £200 in fines. There shouldn't be costs because AFAIK Petty Sessions don't attract costs, the prosecution will be documentary only I should think.
I too think that "life skills" should be taught in schools too.0 -
Right. According to the BBC's own website you must have a licence for any equipment that is capable of receiving a television signal.
Where does it say that? I've always been under the impression that if a property receives live television pictures as it's being broadcast then said property needs to have a TV licence registered there. Simply having a TV does not oblige the occupants to have a TV licence.
To the OP, I guess you and your flatmates now have a licence? What your flatmate's best bet is to write to TV Licensing™ telling them that the property is now licensed and ask them to drop the case. Chances are that they will.
With regards to "inspectors". They're not inspectors. They're salesmen employed by Capita Business Services Ltd using the TV Licensing trademark under licence by the BBC. They have as much power as a double glazing salesmen and Jehovas Witnesses and as such should be treated as such. Use the power of a closed door to keep these comission driven salespeople out and for god sakes do not sign the TVL178 confession form!0 -
Where does it say that? I've always been under the impression that if a property receives live television pictures as it's being broadcast then said property needs to have a TV licence registered there. Simply having a TV does not oblige the occupants to have a TV licence.
Exactly right. However, if the property has a TV aerial but the occupants don't watch live TV then you do not need a licence. The "property receives" live TV because an aerial will always receive a signal tuned to that aerial's frequency band but if they do not watch it then no licence is needed. Moreover, if they watch live TV over the internet then they need a licence or that too. I suspect that anyone who physically owns a TV will at some point watch live TV so therefore owning a TV will mean that you will need a licence. If you're on a slow broadband or dial-up and download programmes to watch later and watch DVDs (or Bluray etc.) on a monitor then you don't need a licence.0 -
It's not "capable of receiving" it's "installed for use"0
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The line about school was meant to be a joke. Obviously it's hard to convey tone but I'm sure no-one would know exactly what to do with a court summons when they were 20... There was no need to be condescending about it.
As I've said the person who paid it left. Me and my other flat mate live in England so weren't there over the summer. The new flat mate moved in and then the inspector came round. I wouldnt think anyone's first thought when moving in somewhere would be the tv licence. We have had one all of the time we've been at university so it's not like we were challenged and then thought to get one.
Thank you for being entirely unhelpful and, quite frankly, mean.
I think quite a few people thought your joke was absurd. The replies are quite helpful if you bother to read them.Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are incapable of forming such opinions.0 -
Do we have to go through this pointless exercise every time this subject comes up?
No. The website in question is the TVL one, and it clearly says that the licence is for watching/recording TV broadcasts.Right. According to the BBC's own website you must have a licence for any equipment that is capable of receiving a television signal.
No. That would be a defence.It is no defence to say that the equipment was broken at the time
That is how they make their bonus payments. I have recently submitted a formal complaint to the BBC which details 19 common scenarios in which TVL unfairly or falsely prosecutes people. Their processes are not safe or robust and are not fit for purpose.... remember that the guys that come to the door are trained to get confessions out of people because... "
That's not what the BBC (still) say. Obviously you can actually look at the TV installation and make a reasonably accurate determination of whether it has been used for watching TV broadcasts. You could also examine any recordings.... it is the only way they have of "detecting" TV use. (Detector vans are purely for deterence, there is no way you can detect whether someone is receiving a signal, only if one is being transmitted.)
Yes, they have a confession, so they don't need physical evidence. However, the confession can still be tackled in court, especially if it was made under false pretences (for example if a promise of "no prosecution" was made). PACE s.76 sets out various reasons why a confession may be subject to challenge. Personally, I cannot see why any Court would accept the situation where a confession made without legal advice on such a simple matter as this would still stand if the defendant repudiates it.They normally come to the house and say "I gather you have a TV, can I see your licence please?" It is psychologically hard to say "No I haven't".
If he didn't actually come into the house and see the TV then he was only guessing but now that your flat mate has confirmed it (and given his name) they have proof for a prosecution.
No they aren't. Only one person will be prosecuted, and s/he will be liable for the fine. The others may help to pay it, but there is no legal liability on their part.It will be a quick in and out. The clue is in the name: "Petty Sessions" and your fine is unlikely to be huge especially when split three ways (you are all equally and severally liable).0 -
I was of the opinion that having a TV License was a civil offence now and not a criminal one. I wouldn't open the door to a TV license officer.0
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itchyextremist wrote: »I was of the opinion that having a TV License was a civil offence now and not a criminal one.
No, not yet. Give it time....0 -
Exactly right. However, if the property has a TV aerial but the occupants don't watch live TV then you do not need a licence. The "property receives" live TV because an aerial will always receive a signal tuned to that aerial's frequency band but if they do not watch it then no licence is needed. Moreover, if they watch live TV over the internet then they need a licence or that too. I suspect that anyone who physically owns a TV will at some point watch live TV so therefore owning a TV will mean that you will need a licence. If you're on a slow broadband or dial-up and download programmes to watch later and watch DVDs (or Bluray etc.) on a monitor then you don't need a licence.
I have a beautiful 50" TV but NEVER watch live TV. It is the husband's PC monitor. I haven't had to pay the licence fee in over 2 years now
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The TV License is actually a really stupid tax.
They could just add it to VAT, and save god knows how much on enforcement.
They can tax the TVs when you buy them, on a on-off basis.
They can insist every tuner circuitry MUST include a serial number that you register on purchase. You pay your TV license per TV, which is then enabled/disabled through the broadcast signal.
For people with Sky, Virgin, BT TV set top boxes, the government just has to collect through the TV companies.0
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